The storage you configure for an ESX Server host might include one or more storage area networks (SANs) that use iSCSI, which is a means of accessing SCSI devices and exchanging data records using TCP/IP protocol over a network port rather than through a direct connection to a SCSI device. In iSCSI transactions, blocks of raw SCSI data are encapsulated in iSCSI records and transmitted to the requesting device or user.
Before you can configure iSCSI storage, you must create a VMkernel port to handle iSCSI networking and a service console connection to the iSCSI network.
To create a VMkernel port for software iSCSI
- Log into the VMware VI Client, and select the server from the inventory panel.
The hardware configuration page for this server appears. - Click the Configuration tab, and click Networking.
- Click the Add Networking link.
- Select VMkernel and click Next.
This lets you connect the VMkernel, which runs services for iSCSI storage, to the physical network.
The Network Access page appears. - Select the vSwitch you want to use or the Create a virtual switch radio button.
- Select the check boxes for the network adapters your vSwitch will use.
Your choices appear in the Preview pane.
Select adapters for each vSwitch so that virtual machines or other services that connect through the adapter can reach the correct Ethernet segment. If no adapters appear under Create a new virtual switch, this means that all the network adapters in the system are being used by existing vSwitches. - Click Next.
The Connection Settings page appears. - Under Port Group Properties, select or enter a network label and a VLAN ID.
- Network Label — A name that identifies the port group that you are creating. This is the label that you specify when configuring a virtual adapter to be attached to this port group, when configuring iSCSI storage.
- VLAN ID — Identifies the VLAN that the port group’s network traffic will use.
- Under IP Settings, click Edit to set the VMkernel Default Gateway for iSCSI.
The DNS and Routing Configuration dialog box appears. Under the DNS Configuration tab, the name of the host is entered into the name field by default. The DNS server addresses that were specified during installation are also preselected as is the domain.
Under the Routing tab, the service console and the VMkernel each need their own gateway information. A gateway is needed for connectivity to machines not on the same IP subnet as the service console or VMkernel.
Note
Make sure that you set a default gateway for the port that you created. You must use a valid static IP address to configure the VMkernel stack.
- Click OK to save your changes, and close the DNS and Routing Configuration dialog box.
- Click Next.
- Use the Back button to make any changes.
- Review your changes on the Ready to Complete page and click Finish.
After you create a VMkernel port for iSCSI, you must create a service console connection on the same vSwitch as the VMkernel port.
To configure a service console connection for software iSCSI storage
- Log into the VMware VI Client and select the server from the inventory panel.
The hardware configuration page for this server appears. - Click the Configuration tab, and click Networking.
- On the right side of the screen, click Properties for vSwitch associated with the VMkernel port you just created.
- On the Ports tab, click Add.
The Add Network Wizard appears.
- As a connection type, select Service Console and click Next.
The Connection Settings screen appears. - Under Port Group Properties, enter a network label that identifies the port group that you are creating.
Newer ports and port groups appear at the top of the vSwitch diagram. - Enter the IP Address and Subnet Mask, or select the DHCP option Obtain IP setting automatically for the IP address and subnet mask.
- Click the Edit button to set the Service Console Default Gateway.
- Click Next.
The Ready to Complete screen appears.
- After you have determined that the vSwitch is configured correctly, click Finish.
After you create a VMkernel port and service console connection, you are able to enable and configure software iSCSI storage.